It Didn't Take Long
by barrow-wight727
Summary: This is an AU story of what happens when some Newsies are caught in New York on 911. Chapter one's a bit weak, but the best is yet to come! Chapter 4 rewritten!
1. An Ordinary Day

A/N: So, in light of everything going on lately, I thought this might be a good time to post this. In no way am I trying to offend anyone by this. I have the Newsies in this as college kids, as it's more realistic. The rest will be explained in the story. Just be open to my utilizing creative liberties.  
  
Chapter 1  
  
Pie Eater's POV  
  
It was just a regular day. Honestly. We had no classes today, so were going into the city for the day. I had my messenger bag all set, with my wallet and everything in it. Dutchy was yelling at Snoddy and me to get going. He had already called the cab. I grabbed my water bottle from the mini fridge and shoved it in the side pocket of my bag. I normally put it in the main pocket, but I was in a rush. I grabbed a sweatshirt and headed out the door. I locked the dorm room and headed to the stairs, where they were waiting for me. We ran down and managed to get to the cab just in time.  
  
It was a beautiful morning. It was clear as glass. It was a little chilly, so I put my gray sweatshirt on over my yellow plaid shirt. It was about 8 AM by the time we managed to get out. We made it into the city by about 8:20. Our plans were to walk around for a while, and catch a show on Broadway in the afternoon. It was going to be a great day, as far as we could tell. Our tickets were reserved, we had money to spend, and it was all planned out.  
  
It didn't take long.  
  
We were walking down the street, planning where to go. We were talking about where to eat lunch, when we heard this inordinately loud noise coming from the sky. "What the hell?" I asked, looking in the direction of the noise. There was a plane flying overhead, only it seemed just overhead. It was way too low to be where it was.  
  
It took only seconds for it to fly over us. We heard a fulminating boom, and felt the ground shake. We froze, looking ahead at the World Trade Center. The planes had been flown straight into the rim of the building and exploded. I clapped a hand to my mouth as I looked in horror. People around me froze to the spot, looking up at the spectacle with similar expressions.  
  
Some people screamed. Some people muttered things like "oh shit" and "oh my God." Some people, like us, just stood there dumbfounded. What was there to say? The planes had said it all.  
  
I don't think there's a word for all of the emotions pumping through my mind. I didn't know what to do or say. I was just. just so perplexed. I was angry. I felt anguish like I never had before for the people on the plane and in the building. I didn't understand how someone could crash into a building, even if it was that high.  
  
That's when it dawned on me. It was premeditated.  
  
I turned to Dutchy and Snoddy, who turned to look at me. I took my sweatshirt off and stuffed it in my bag. We took off towards the site. There had to be something we could do. 


	2. Inconceivable

A/N: So I wasn't going to keep this going, but decided to. Why? Not really sure, but here it is! I know chapter one was nothing really special, so I'm doing my best with the ones after it. But this one isn't anything too great either. I promise the next one will be better! I have plans for this now. So enjoy, FB appreciated. Still Pie Eater's POV!  
  
Chapter 2  
  
There were so many people coming from the Trade Center. I think we were the only fools moving towards it. It didn't matter to us, though. We had no idea what was really going on. We could hear sirens everywhere around the city going to help. This all just seemed unreal. Why was this happening?  
  
People were running in all directions. It was like a city-wide disarray of people. Most of them probably didn't know what they were doing or where they were going. So we just stood there, helping people who didn't know where they should go. We would have done more, but let's face it- there wasn't much else we could do right then. We weren't about to go into the building. Hell, we weren't all that far away from it ourselves.  
  
I looked up at the building to see it again. The idea just wouldn't wash. There were so many questions I wanted answered. Why here? Why now? Who'd done this? And what was falling with the debris?  
  
My last question was answered quickly. People were jumping. Oh shit, they were jumping. This was far worse than I'd thought.  
  
I thought I was imagining the sound of the plane flying overhead, but it didn't take me long to realize that I wasn't. I kept saying "Not another. Don't hit the other tower." But it did, and it caused a strange, disc-like explosion.  
  
Dutchy, Snoddy, and I all ducked low to the ground, covering our heads. It wasn't like we'd really get hit by anything, but I guess it was just like a reflex. What the hell was going on? Another one really hit? No, it had to be déjà vu or something. That just doesn't happen.  
  
People were screaming and sobbing. Everyone was dismayed at the events of the morning. To be honest, I was really scared too. I wanted so badly to help the people, but what was I going to do? What were we going to do? There wasn't a damn thing I could do to help.  
  
I saw a few people around me praying. Now, I'm not religious or anything, but I found myself asking for those people to be alright. I don't know who I was asking, or even if I was asking anyone in particular. All I knew was that no matter how much anyone prayed, at this point, it was too late for too many people. It's just not right. They didn't even do anything to deserve it. Nobody did, really. At that point, we all silently agreed that it was time to leave.  
  
Then Snoddy clapped a hand to his mouth. His face lost all of its color. "Oh shit," he said weakly. His voice was trembling. "That business major meeting was today."  
  
Dutchy's shoulders dropped. He gave Snoddy one of those "oh come on" looks. "Time and place, Snoddy," he said flatly.  
  
"Wait," I started. I realized where he was going with that. "James is a business major."  
  
Dutchy's eyes widened as he realized as well. "Oh my God, Snitch," he said. Snitch had reminded us frequently of this great lecture he'd be going to at the Trade Center. So we turned back to the building and ran towards it. 


	3. The Implosion

A/N: Thanks to Kit Kat, who consistently reviewed each chapter! I know I e- mailed you each time, but still! Thanks again! =D  
  
So I'm still writing, thanks to her. I wasn't sure if I wanted to or not. But I do! And now I'm really enjoying writing this one. Gives me something to do during algebra! So I kept it in Pie's POV, since I thought it would be a little different, and more interesting to see how only one person perceives everything. I mean, after all, a lot of people write in multiple points of view. I'm different, right? Maybe? So I'm trying to make it more personal, pretty much. So enjoy, FB appreciated, as always!  
  
Chapter 3  
  
I opened my bag to find my water bottle. My throat tends to get dry and scratchy when I'm solicitous. I figured it was at the bottom, so looked under my sweatshirt. I groaned to find that it wasn't there. I thought I'd grabbed it that morning, but I just assumed that I didn't. My throat wasn't the chief concern right now, though.  
  
The three of us ran to the buildings, hoping that by some miracle we'd find Snitch there and make sure he was safe. We had to work our way through thousands of people and cars blocking the sidewalks and streets. It was a solid 20 minutes, in the least, before we were able to even get close to the site. Once there, we made our way through a wall of fire trucks, police cars, and ambulances. I must say, I was rather impressed that we even got that far.  
  
Apparently I'd spoken too soon. A strong arm pushed against my chest, holding me back. A fireman with outstretched arms had hampered our movement. I glanced beyond him at the ground by the building, but quickly decided not to do that again. What if that was Snitch's arm or leg? I shook the thought out of my mind.  
  
"Guys, you can't go any closer," he said sternly and pushed us backwards.  
  
"Please sir, our friend is in there," Dutchy pleaded with him. I could tell by his tone of voice that he was feeling exactly the same way I was. I swallowed hard and tried not to lose hope just yet.  
  
"You gentlemen can't go in there. Please, leave the area," the fireman replied urgently. His voice was strong, but I could see in his eyes and on his face that he was perturbed. Seeing a fireman look like that made me uneasy. Weren't they supposed to be stronger than us?  
  
"But please, we have to-" Snoddy tried feebly once more, but was interrupted.  
  
"Just go," He repeated. Our shoulders slumped as our spirits deflated. Now we had no way of knowing. I took one last look at the fireman before turning. I could tell that if he had control over the situation, he'd probably go in and look for Snitch himself if it meant he could save one life. I turned and caught up with the others.  
  
That was probably the hardest part of that whole day. Turning our backs on the disaster at hand was genuinely painful. I felt like we were giving up on a friend, or even that we were refusing the accept it. I mean, I know there wasn't much else we could do, but it still really hurt. We didn't turn back, though. We just kept moving away from it. We walked for another good 25 minutes I think, getting further and further away from everything. It killed me to run from it.  
  
The street we took away from the site looked void. Few people were around, and those who were seemed void themselves. There was a plastic bag floating in the wind on the opposite sidewalk. None of us spoke. What would we say?  
  
Then we heard a loud rumble coming from behind. Upon turning, I saw something that to this day gives me the chills. The building was imploding. If Snitch was still in there, we wouldn't be seeing him again. My heart dropped to my stomach, and I concentrated my energy on holding myself together. I stood there transfixed. Then I realized that we had to take cover. There was a cloud of dust headed straight for us. It looked like something out of a volcano movie.  
  
I glanced down a side street and saw a woman all by herself. She was just as transfixed as I had been. I bolted down it and grabbed her. I took the corner and pulled her on the ground behind a truck. I tore open my bag and thrust my sweatshirt over her face. "Cover your face!" I yelled, and she obeyed. I pulled off my plaid shirt and held it over my face, tucking my chin to my chest. We sat with our backs to the truck as the dust and soot cloud swallowed the street. I closed my eyes tightly, hoping with everything left in me that this wasn't really happening. 


	4. Hey Jude

A/N: I've decided to write with little dialogue, as you have probably noticed (Extra brownie points to you if you did!). I decided to do this because I want it to be personal, like I said before. So just in case you were wondering, that's why! I just rewrote part of this, including the end. Here's what I got!  
  
Chapter 4  
  
I reluctantly opened my eyes and saw light through my shirt. I pulled my sweatshirt away from my face and coughed. Though I had my face covered, I was still covered in dust. I looked down to see myself completely caked in it. "It's safe," I said weakly to the woman beside me. She pulled my sweatshirt away from her face, and I saw that she was still covered in dust too.  
  
I stood up and turned to her. I took her arms and helped her up. Her eyes were red and raw, and there were two streaks of flesh through the dirt on her face. We pulled each other into a hug, and I felt a tear slide out of my eye. I didn't really care, though. I had no idea who she was, but I didn't care about that either.  
  
I remembered then where my water bottle was. It had been in my side pocket all along! I pulled it out and handed it to her so she could rinse her face off, then I did the same. It must have been meant to be that way. Maybe it wasn't a coincidence. Snoddy always talked about there being no coincidences or luck. I never really believed him, though.  
  
She asked if she could have my sweatshirt, claiming that she wanted to remember what happened. I told her she could. I didn't blame her for wanting to remember.  
  
I parted with her and walked further away from the Trade Center, once again shunning the situation again. Then it dawned on me. I was completely detached from Snoddy and Dutchy. What was I going to do now? I was alone. I looked around me in all directions, but saw nobody.  
  
I put my hand to my head and winced. I'd hit it on the truck when we ducked behind it. I pulled my hand back to see blood. Maybe there was a first aid station set up somewhere where I could get some help and maybe find my friends. I found a police officer that was heading towards the towers and asked him where to go. He directed me further down the street to a restaurant where they had a temporary medic station set up. I thanked him and proceeded to go there.  
  
I walked into the first aid station to find the most somber, bleak faces look up at me. Nobody spoke, except for the EMT who went to clean my face and the cut that was over my eye. Several people were crying, but most people, like me, had blank, inscrutable looks on our faces. I think a lot of us just felt numb.  
  
There was music playing at a very soft volume in the restaurant. The song "Hey Jude" from the Beatles came on. "Hey Jude, don't make it bad.  
  
Take a sad song and make it better.  
  
Remember to let her into your heart,  
  
Then you can start to make it better."  
  
The lyrics seemed perfect in light of everything that went on that morning. Here was a room full of people, all in generally the same position, saddened by what was going on only a short distance away. I wondered if anyone else in the room had made the connection to the song that I had.  
  
The woman next to me hummed softly along with it. I joined her, and then we both started to sing the words softly. Those in the restaurant looked up at us to see what was going on. The EMT tending to my cuts joined the singing as well, followed by the man on the other side of me. Before long, the whole restaurant had joined in singing. It was a proverbial song that we all knew. I had no idea who any of these people were either, but I found comfort in them.  
  
The song finished, and the room went back to the silence we'd experienced before. This silence was a little different, though. It was less stiff and tense, like we'd all been comforted by something. I was still alone, but it didn't feel like it as much.  
  
I pulled my cell phone out of my bag as the EMT finished cleaning the cut above my eye. I tried to turn it on, but it wouldn't. My battery had run out. "Damnit," I muttered to myself as I put it back in the bag.  
  
"What's wrong?" the EMT asked me, noticing my frustration.  
  
"No battery," I told her simply. I then went on to explain my situation a little more. "I got separated from my friends. I need to call them and find out where we're going to meet."  
  
"Here, use mine," she reached behind her into a duffle bag. She pulled out a flip phone and handed it to me. "You'll have to go outside to use it, but you're welcome to."  
  
I accepted the phone and thanked her, moving outside to call Dutchy and Snoddy. 


End file.
